The surroundings were silent, but Yin Feng only felt his heart suddenly tighten. Sweet, bitter, and tingling sensations instantly spread through his chest with her mischievous smile, flowing everywhere.
After a long silence, Yin Feng pressed his hand to his face and laughed too.
This was truly deadly.
——
Luo Yu was not unprepared for someone breaking into his home or setting up any traps or hidden dangers.
However... today, the expensive security system he had purchased and installed, aside from giving various alerts when You Mingxu moved in, had not sent any abnormal signals.
With major events at hand, Luo Yu had countless matters to attend to today. By the time he finished work and returned home, it was already past 8 p.m. His subordinates invited the boss to join them for dinner, but he refused. The underling who had helped You Mingxu move winked at everyone, and they suddenly understood, laughing and urging the boss to hurry home to accompany his "wife."
Seeing their genuinely happy expressions for him and hearing their teasing voices, even though Luo Yu knew that You Mingxu's "cohabitation" with him was forced and that both had ulterior motives, he still found it hard to suppress the mix of anticipation and bittersweet emotions in his heart as he drove home.
Taking out his keys to open the door, he found the lights on and the TV playing. You Mingxu sat on the sofa, glancing back at him when she heard the noise before turning back to the TV as if she were the master of the house.
For some reason, Luo Yu smiled. He changed his shoes, hung his coat in the entryway, and paused at the door to her bedroom. Inside, it was neatly arranged and simple. She had brought very little, almost nothing noticeable. However, the bedsheets were unfamiliar to him, her teacup sat on the nightstand, and a few items were placed on the desk.
Luo Yu slowly exhaled, suppressing the complex emotions in his heart. After washing up in the bathroom, he changed into comfortable clothes and sat on the sofa next to her. "Have you eaten?" he asked.
You Mingxu had been observing his demeanor all along and noticed that he seemed unaware of the hidden camera. On the contrary, he was clearly in a good mood, his tone gentle and normal. She thought to herself: Could it be that he’s truly blinded by infatuation? Aloud, she replied indifferently, "I’ve eaten. It’s late."
Only then did Luo Yu glance at his watch. "I haven’t eaten yet. Can you accompany me to go out for a meal?"
You Mingxu said, "No."
He wasn’t angered and smiled slightly. "Alright, I’ll order takeout."
But even at home, Luo Yu wasn’t free from work. Phone calls came intermittently. He didn’t avoid You Mingxu, issuing concise instructions—so brief that she couldn’t glean any useful information. Occasionally, he picked up the briefcase he’d brought back, pulled out documents to review, and then made calls.
Soon, the takeout arrived—two dishes and a soup, very simple. He put down his phone, set work aside, and asked her, "Want to eat a little more?"
You Mingxu said, "No."
He didn’t press her, picking up the takeout container and pulling out disposable chopsticks to eat quietly.
You Mingxu couldn’t help but glance at him a couple of times.
It felt strange. He was now a underworld boss, yet he sat beside her, eating takeout from a box.
As if he had eyes on the top of his head, he asked without looking up, "Why are you looking at me?"
You Mingxu said, "I’ve moved in now. What did Xing Jifu give you? Can you tell me?"
He picked up a bite of garlic sprouts with his chopsticks and smiled. "Haven’t you already guessed? Otherwise, why would you agree to come? You can’t catch a wolf without risking the child."You Mingxu stared at him for a moment—conversing with this man was always mentally draining. She asked, "He handed the Yunnan affairs to you? Why you?"
Luo Yu gave a deliberately unpleasant smile and said, "Yes, he gave me the business of purchasing walnuts and mushrooms from the Yunnan dealers. Why me? It's such a legitimate, GDP-boosting venture, yet Guo Feirong's people messed it up, so naturally, it can't stay with him. As for Huang Long, he's already swamped with apple, banana, and Hami melon deals—adding more would upset the balance within the group. And me... Boss Xing trusts me a lot now, so I'm the obvious choice. Are you satisfied with that answer, now that you're willing to stay with me? Of course, if you're willing to give me more, I'll give you more in return."
You Mingxu stared at him for a long while before suddenly smiling and saying, "Hurry up and eat, the food's getting cold." She then took a bottle of mineral water and handed it to him.
This was probably the first time since their breakup that You Mingxu had shown him a pleasant expression. Luo Yu took the bottle, gulping down more than half of it in one go, his gaze deep as he glanced at her. The meal was nearly finished; he set down his chopsticks, wiped his fingers and mouth clean, and patted the sofa beside him. "Come sit here and keep me company."
Without a change in expression, You Mingxu stood up and walked over, sitting half a foot away from him.
This distance satisfied Luo Yu. He smiled, looking down at her, about to tease her further when You Mingxu frowned and said, "You smell."
Luo Yu froze, giving her a suspicious glance before lifting his collar to sniff.
He did smell.
The scent of blood.
He'd dealt with some matters earlier that day.
She was a police officer—she could recognize that smell.
A sudden wave of irritation washed over Luo Yu, though he wasn't sure if it was because of her or himself. Then he heard her say, displeased, "Please wash up when you come back in the future. I don't like this smell."
Luo Yu said, "Alright," and stood up, heading straight to the bathroom.
You Mingxu hadn't expected him to be so compliant and was slightly surprised. As soon as she heard the bathroom door close, she sprang into action. Picking up the phone he'd left on the sofa, she deftly removed the battery and SIM card, pulled out a pre-prepared SIM card with the same number from her pocket, swapped it in, and reassembled the phone. Lying by the sofa, she placed it back in its exact original position.
This card had eavesdropping and tracking capabilities.
Glancing toward the bathroom, where the sound of running water had just started, she picked up his briefcase, emptied its contents, and quickly examined them. There was a stack of documents; You Mingxu selected a few that seemed useful and took quick photos. There was also a business card holder, which she flipped through before putting back. A pack of tissues, a fountain pen, and two lighters from some bathhouse—You Mingxu glanced at them and returned everything to its place.
By the time Luo Yu finished his shower, You Mingxu had already returned to her room. The TV was off, with only the lights left on. Her door was tightly shut, a sliver of light seeping out from beneath it. Luo Yu stood still for a moment, watching, before walking over to clean up the takeout containers and toss them by the entrance.
He lit a cigarette and sat on the sofa, smoking slowly. She had left the lights too bright, making him feel uncomfortable, so he turned off the main light, leaving only the lamp beside the sofa on. The warm, orange glow filled the room, and sitting in the dimness, he finally felt at ease.
And her door, with the light from inside, was just a short distance away from him.After sitting in silence for a while, his phone rang. He glanced at the number he had just contacted today, then looked towards You Mingxu's door. Rising to his feet, he walked into the bedroom, locked the door behind him, and finally answered with a smile, "Sister Yun."
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